Hapoel Raanana produced an impressive attacking display to beat Hapoel Afula 3–1 in the Israel Ligat Leumit Toto Cup, keeping their hopes of advancing from the group stage firmly alive. The home side's sharp finishing and energetic pressing made the difference at a packed municipal stadium.

Rapid start sets the tone

Hapoel Raanana wasted little time in taking control of the contest. Inside the opening ten minutes, they opened the scoring after a swift move down the left channel ended with a composed finish from close range. The early goal visibly lifted the home side and forced Hapoel Afula onto the back foot for much of the first half.

Afula attempted to settle into the game but struggled to deal with Raanana's high press. Turnovers in midfield quickly turned into chances, and it came as little surprise when the lead was doubled just before the half-hour mark. A well-rehearsed free-kick routine left the Afula defence flat-footed, allowing a simple header at the back post.

Afula fight back but Raanana finish strong

Hapoel Afula did manage to reduce the deficit just after the interval, scoring from a defensive miscommunication that left their striker with a clear run on goal. That goal injected some life into the contest, and Afula started to push forward in search of an equaliser.

However, Raanana weathered the storm and extended their lead once more with a clinical counter-attack in the 74th minute. A perfectly weighted through-ball released the substitute forward, who rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home to make it 3–1. The goal effectively ended any lingering doubts, and Raanana closed out the match confidently.

Toto Cup implications

This result gives Hapoel Raanana a significant boost in the Ligat Leumit Toto Cup group stage. The three points place them in a strong position with games to come, while the margin of victory may also prove valuable when it comes to goal difference tiebreakers.

For Hapoel Afula, the defeat means they will need to pick up results in their remaining group fixtures to maintain their chances of progressing. Despite moments of promise, their defensive fragility proved costly against a determined Raanana side.

Overall, the match was an entertaining cup encounter that underlined the competitive nature of Israeli football's second tier.